Expansionism (Beta 4)

With playtesting currently underway, I have been focusing my efforts on running the game; as such, I don't have a lot of work being done on (or changes being made to) the existing material, so I wanted to pitch a few ideas that have bounced through my head at various times.


Alternate Archetypes/Prestige Classes
In particular, I keep thinking I might want to do a slate of Archetypes centered on adding pets to classes that currently don't have any, or focused around using mounts in combat. Ideally, I would want these to work for multiple classes, but that might be difficult given the disparate distribution of Archetype/Path/Subclass between the various classes.

Some example ideas:

• Cavalier: Cleric, Paladin, Warlords or Fighters with the Divine power source
• Death Knight: Paladin, Mystic, Hexblade, Warlords or Fighters with the Shadow power source
• School of Golemancy: Wizard, Sorcerer, Guardian
• Mounted Archer: Archer, Ranger, Adventurer, Monk, Assassin, Fighter
• Beastrider: Ranger, Necromancer, Druid
• Death Domain: alternate archetype for classes who take Divine or Shadow power sources
• Nature Domain: alternate archetype for classes who take Divine or Primal power sources

Races

I've kind of had some fleeting ideas about how I might want to structure a loose framework for adding fantasy races to the game. Basically, they wouldn't provide stat boosts, but conceivably could add extra skill training. I would mostly want them to mostly provide things akin to the Background features seen in 5th Edition D&D, or Theme benefits from 4th Edition. Beyond that, some examples of stuff that I've thought might work:

• Dwarf: If you choose a d4 or d6 class, you have double the normal number of reserves; you can also double roll and stack the damage of your melee basic attacks.
• Elf: If you choose a d4 class, you can double roll and stack the damage of your ranged basic attacks; you can also add your class die to any untrained DEX or WIS checks you make.
• Half-Elf: If you choose a class with Paths, you can instead treat them as Archetypes. If you choose a class with Archetypes, you can instead treat them as Subclasses.
• Human: If you choose a class with Roles, you can instead treat them as a Form or Concentration ability; you can change between Roles as a Minor Action. You have Expertise on all untrained skill checks.

Slates/Power Sources

Should there be a 4th slate of classes? Or a 6th power source?

The one power source that's really missing (when compared to the 4e lineup) is Psionic. I think if we were to follow in that vein, any psionic classes would have to have something resembling a power-point mechanic (i.e. an additional resource-management subsystem) built onto them. Another consideration is, which Knowledge skills does it make sense for a Psionic power source to have? How would we differentiate it from the existing ones?

Since TNP doesn't operate in the 4e paradigm of "Role + Power Source = Class" it might not really be possible to create Psionics as more than one class, even.

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Today's post is a day behind, mostly because of scheduling considerations; next post, likewise, should be up on April 26th, so check back then!